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From YouTube: Paws to Read

Description

Ashlawn Elementary School teacher Cynthia Power was looking for a way to volunteer in her community while spending time with her beloved dog Humphrey. What she found has become one of the most popular reading events in the Arlington County Library system: Paws to Read, the program where kids read to dogs.

The program is designed to help kids with their reading skills and their vocalization skills by spending time reading in a completely non-judgemental, non-corrective environment.

"Paws to Read is an amazing program." Cynthia explains, "Children reading aloud in a non-judgmental atmosphere builds their confidence and reading skills. Always having someone correct mispronunciations, lack of inflection, or skipped words, does not really inspire confidence. Parents and teachers often find it difficult to provide non-judgmental reading time for children. Dogs do it perfectly!"

All of the dogs are certified by People Animals Love (PAL) as Therapy Dogs and they are trained to be gentle around children. To learn more about PAL's work: http://www.peopleanimalslove.org/

For her efforts, Cynthia and Humphrey have been honored with an Outstanding Volunteer Award by the Arlington County Board. You can read more about Cynthia and Humphrey's work here: http://library.arlingtonva.us/2013/05/23/congratulations-to-humphrey/

And more about the Paws to Read program, including upcoming Paws to Read events at the Arlington County Library website, here: http://library.arlingtonva.us/events/kids-events/paws-to-read/